Youth photo-documentary exhibit opens at Minneapolis City Hall June 5

Community engagement and photography project explores youth violence and community peace

May 31, 2012 (MINNEAPOLIS) Picturing Peace, a community engagement and photography project that explores youth violence, peace, safety and community supports for young people, will hold its opening celebration Tuesday, June 5 in the City Hall Rotunda Gallery from 5 – 6:30 p.m. This free, public event marks the start of the City Hall exhibit, which will be on display through June 18. City Hall is located at 350 S. Fifth St.

Picturing Peace is a collaborative “photovoice” project that explores youth violence, peace and safety, and community supports for young people. More than a dozen Minneapolis teens from the North Community YMCA and Division of Indian Work have participated thus far, documenting their reflections and hopes for peace and safety in their communities. The resulting collection of photographs will be on display at City Hall and will tour local libraries throughout the summer. “Photovoice” is an interactive research methodology that uses photography from youth to generate opinions and ideas about ways to solve community issues. Co-sponsored by the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District and the City of Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support, the project aims to engage not only youth but also the community at large in dialogue about youth violence, peace and safety. The Picturing Peace project includes a photo contest, in which people of all ages may submit their original photos on the theme of community peace. Winners of the photo contest will be chosen by jury, and included in the Picturing Peace exhibit tour dates throughout the fall. Selections from the contest winners will also be installed on utility boxes in downtown Minneapolis. Details about the contest will be released next week. The Picturing Peace project helps to support the mission and goals of both the City of Minneapolis’ Blueprint for Action youth violence prevention initiative as well as the Downtown Improvement District, which aims to make downtown cleaner, safer, greener and better in order to achieve a more vital and vibrant downtown. The project adds significant value to the downtown community by providing an opportunity for community engagement, highlighting positive messages about community peace and thriving youth, remedying locations of blight by wrapping graffiti-covered utility boxes with colorful images, and raising awareness about youth violence.